Newsletter articles

By Mike Rigdon – September 2022

There have been recent reports of bear sightings in subdivisions around the lake.  The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is an excellent source of information on bears in Virginia (https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/bear/becoming-bear-aware/) Virtually all of this article is taken from the DWR website.

Bears are highly adaptable and intelligent animals that can live close to people. With a significant black bear population in the counties around the lake, an occasional bear may wander into residential areas due to the smell of food around homes. The most common food attractants are birdfeeders, garbage, and pet food; however, outdoor grills, livestock food, compost, fruit trees, and beehives will also attract bears.

What should you do if you see a bear?

Enjoy and keep a respectful distance! In most cases, the bear will move on quickly.

• If a bear is up a tree on or near your property, give it space. Do not approach and bring your pets inside to provide the bear a clear path to leave your property. Never run from a bear.

What should you do if a bear is consuming bird seed, garbage, pet food, etc. on your property?

• The best way to encourage the bear not to return is to remove the food source.
• Do not store household trash, or anything that smells like food, in vehicles, on porches or decks.
• Use bear resistant trash containers or retrofit your existing container.
• Keep your full or empty trash containers secured in a garage, shed or basement.
• Take your garbage to the dump frequently or if you have a trash collection service, put your trash out the morning of the pickup, not the night before.
• It is best not to put out birdfeeders between April 1 and November 1, but if you do and a bear accesses the feed, you must take down your birdfeeder for 3-4 weeks after the bear visits.
• Consider installing electric fencing, an inexpensive and extremely efficient proven deterrent to bears, around dumpsters, gardens, fruit trees, beehives, or other potential food sources.
• If addressed quickly, this situation can be resolved almost immediately after food sources are removed from the neighborhood. This is likely to require cooperation among neighbors and homeowners associations.  Sometimes, the bear may return searching for food but after a few failed attempts it will move on to greener pastures.

What do I do if I see a bear cub on my property?

• Sows with cubs are typically in dens until the mid-March to May time frame. Most small bears people see in early spring are not actual “baby bears” but yearlings (>12 months old). They do not need their mothers to survive.
• If a small yearling is on your property, the worst thing you can do is feed it. Yearlings need to learn how to find natural foods and not become food conditioned or habituated to humans.
• Once females leave their dens with 3 to 5-month-old cubs, they will typically travel in a close group unless something makes the female nervous. If you see a very small cub, do not try to remove it from the area or “save it.” When sensing danger, a female bear will typically send her cub(s) up a tree and leave the area. She is attempting to divert the danger away from her cub(s). These trees are called “babysitter trees”. In such cases, the female will almost always return to gather up the cub(s) when no people or pets are around, usually after dark. A female bear can be up to 4 miles away from the cub while it is at the “babysitter tree”.

Preventing problems with bears is a shared responsibility between the citizens of Virginia and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Always remember that a bear is a wild animal, and that it is detrimental to the bear, as well as illegal in Virginia, to feed a bear under any circumstances. Even allowing a bear to feed on trash or birdseed is illegal. Feeding bears may cause them to lose their natural distrust of humans, creating situations where bears may become habituated and sometimes aggressive towards people. Thus, human and bear safety is the responsibility of all residents and visitors of the Commonwealth.

You can help manage the Commonwealth’s black bear population and keep bears wild. Make sure your property is clear of attractants, communicate with your neighbors to resolve community bear concerns and learn about bears, one of the most amazing intelligent wildlife species in Virginia. If you experience a bear problem after taking appropriate steps of prevention, please call the Wildlife Conflict Helpline at (855) 571-9003.

mike.rigdon@lakeannavirginia.org

By Mike Gelber - September 2022

LACA started the study of Floating Treatment Islands (FTI) in 2021. Since Lake Anna was created as an impoundment naturally created wetlands were never established. To create a wetland buffer would cost millions of dollars and the removal of many acres of farmland. The creation of these Floating Treatment Islands was interesting because a 250 square foot island was found to be equivalent to an acre of natural wetland at a fraction of the cost. The initial trial was with homemade islands that were filled with marsh plants native to Virginia. 

There were some “growing” pains with the selection of some of the plants. We did not know how deep the islands would ride in the water and some of the plants did better than others in the deeper water. During the winter of 2021-2022 the tops of many of the plants died back which was expected.  By the Spring of 2022 new growth was seen in last year’s Islands. LACA and the Runnymede POA purchased commercially manufactured FTI and they were planted and deployed in the Spring of 2022. As seen in the photograph above; the plants are doing well and by mid-Summer the roots were starting to hang below the Islands.

Because the plants are growing with no root contact to the lake bottom, all the nutrients they are using come directly from the water. When the Island plants absorb the nitrogen and phosphorus from the water there are less nutrients available for the algae to use.  Notice in the photo below the visitor in the upper left corner.

mike.gelber@lakeannavirginia.org

By Willie Kelly - September 2022

For a long time around Lake Anna, the promise of a premier golf community was something of an unfulfilled dream.  In 2019 Reef Private Equity, LLC bought the land and started bringing life to it, first through completing the Cutalong Golf Course and opening it for members only play in 2020.  With the golf course open for its second full year now, the Cutalong development team is steaming ahead establishing the infrastructure needed to support a community consisting of a championship golf course (open), a clubhouse, golf performance center, 891 resident lots including 56 “stay & play” units (short term rentals  with associated golf membership privileges), and an amenity center complex including an aquatic center, tennis courts, pickleball courts, 90 wet boat slips and a boat hotel with 200 slips.  Completion of all this capability is envisioned to take 8-10 years from today.

So why are you reading about this in a LACA newsletter?  LACA’s mission to “… preserve and protect the cleanliness, beauty, and safe use of Lake Anna and its watershed through communication, advocacy, education, and community involvement to benefit the membership and all lake users” makes digging into the details of impactful development initiatives like Cutalong something of an imperative.  All the planned infrastructure and growth of residents (permanent, semi-permanent and transient) that Cutalong promises no doubt carries a potentially significant impact to Lake Anna.

In coming months and years, we will be exploring this impact and bringing what we learn to our LACA members via this newsletter.  Our first deep dive will focus on the water and waste treatment capability being developed and planned for completion in the 1^st Qtr of 2023.  A community the size of Cutalong with a championship golf course, three restaurants, and a slew of amenities as stated earlier will generate a significant demand for water and generate a lot of wastewater to boot…which could be highly impactful to Lake Anna and its ecosystems.

Another deep dive will be to dig into plans for dredging along Contrary Creek to facilitate creation of the 90-slip private community dock and boat hotel capabilities.  We will explore potential environmental impacts to the lake associated with this activity and report on the Cutalong development team plans to mitigate them.

Every indication is that the Cutalong development team is truly focused not only on successfully developing this 1050± acre plot of land into the premier golf community of the Mid-Atlantic region…but doing so in an environmentally conscious manner demonstrating their commitment to enhancing Lake Anna’s position as the pre-eminent regional tourist attraction.

john.wayne@lakeannavirginia.org

Harry Looney – July 2022

The Lake Anna Advisory Committee (LAAC) recently completed an assessment titled “Algal Bloom Assessment and Recommendations for Part of Lake Anna”.  LAAC issued a contract to SOLitude Lake Management for the research, data capture and analysis, assessment and recommendations.  Field work was conducted between May 2021 and September 2021 consisting of sediment and water sampling and analysis.  The final report from the work was published in February 2022 and is available at this link.

This article provides an executive summary of the final report and final briefing conducted by SOLitude Lake Management to the LAAC staff on 23 February 2022. 

The primary model used by SOLitude Lake Management for the assessment was the Lake Loading Response Model (LLRM).  SOLitude referenced several models that are used within the research community for assessing lakes and other surface waters and documented their reasoning behind the use of the LLRM for this assessment. 

The assessment focused on an 865-acre area of Lake Anna in the upper North Anna River branch (see Figure 1).  The assessment area starts at the Holladay Bridge and extends NW to where the North Anna River flows into the lake and includes Goldmine Creek, Duckinhole Creek, and Christopher Run.  The assessment area comprises less than 10% of the Lake Anna water surface and approximately 40% of the Lake Anna watershed drainage area.

Figure 1: Assessment Area – 865 Acres of the North Anna River

The assessment broke the 865-acre area into 2 separate “basins” based on watershed area, water depth and choke points (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: North Anna River Basins

Basin 1 is fed by a watershed covering 113 square miles and basin 2 is fed by a watershed covering only 33 square miles.  Basin 1 is shallow with a mean depth of less than 3 meters while basin 2 is deeper with a mean depth greater than 3 meters. 

SOLitude’s data showed that Basin 1 was well-mixed throughout the year and had sufficient oxygen throughout 2021.  SOLitude’s data for basin 2 indicated that the lake was stratified and lacked oxygen over the sediments throughout the 2021 algae growing season. 

One of the primary research focus areas in the SOLitude assessment was the availability of nutrients, primarily phosphorous, in the water column (dissolved phosphorous) and in sediment. 

A key finding in the assessment is that 80% of the phosphorous loading in basin 1 is driven by external sources in the watershed while only 20% of the phosphorous available to the aquatic biomass comes from internal loading (phosphorous stored in sediment). 

The assessment found that basin 2 is also driven by external loading (60-70%) in the watershed.  SOLitude stated during the final briefing that Lake Anna is a “Phosphorus Limited Lake”, meaning that small increases in phosphorous lead to large increases in algal biomass densities.

The SOLitude final briefing stated that watershed management alone is rarely sufficient to recover lakes impacted by algal blooms.  They also stated that data from other lakes and areas with algal issues shows that the contributions from agriculture, forested areas, and septic systems are at least as great as urban and development impacts on a watershed.   A general rule of thumb used by environmental engineers is that one square mile of watershed management in developed areas costs $5 million to achieve a 20% reduction in nutrients.  The SOLitude analysis shows that 32% of the assessment area watershed is developed. This means that the funding required to manage just the North Anna tributary and watershed could be greater than 220 million dollars.  

The final report provides recommendations on different approaches to reduce phosphorous loading and for mitigating algal blooms.  The type of approach LACA is currently taking in our Cyanobacteria Mitigation Program (CMP), hydrogen-peroxide-based algaecides, is mentioned in the report on page 62.  The final report states that “algaecides provide a low cost and short-term solution to address harmful algal blooms”.  The report goes on to state that “peroxide-based algaecides tend to be more selective for many cyanobacteria and leave no potentially harmful residue behind”.  You can find more information on the LACA CMP and our Kick the HAB campaign at this link or by scanning the QR code in this newsletter.

LACA’s decision to focus on near-term mitigation approaches was developed over several years of research and data analysis.  The SOLitude report on spot algaecide treatments provides additional justification for LACA’s focus on mitigation efforts that can be implemented now with funding levels that LACA can reasonably raise through donations and grants.                                                                                                     

Based on the results of the LAAC assessment, major federal, state, and local funding is needed to get long-term results from watershed management.  LACA is working to bring federal, state, and local funding to this problem.  Given the large dollar amounts that are needed, a focused, multi-state agency approach is required.  That is why the FY23 Virginia State Budget included 1 million dollars of funding for a study on how to mitigate algal bloom issues on Lake Anna.  This is a complex problem and the approaches to remedy the problem are numerous, varied, expensive, and primarily long-term before effects are realized.  LACA understands that people are tired of studies and data collection but the state funding of 1 million dollars for a study on how to best mitigate the algal bloom issues on Lake Anna is a wise investment to ensure future expenditures are focused on the mitigation and prevention approaches that have the highest probability of success for Lake Anna.

Interested LACA members are welcome to volunteer in support of LACA’s Water Quality Monitoring and Cyanobacteria Mitigation Programs.  Contact the Water Quality Project Officer at this link if you are interested in learning more or volunteering.

harry.looney@lakeannavirginia.org

By John Wayne - July 2022

With much of the focus of the Land Use Committee being on a successful outcome regarding the Four Seasons RV Park over the past year, we will begin to report more information as we have it on other developments around the Lake.  Members of the Committee have been watching these developments and communicating with developers and county officials about them.  While some are progressing at the expected rate, others have stalled.  Over the next months we will be providing details on those developments which are active and/or coming in the not-too-distant future.

One of the “developments” that we can report on is the update to the Spotsylvania Comprehensive Plan for the areas surrounding the lake.  The Planning Commission, working with the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors had designated the Route 208 corridor in the Lake Anna Area as Mixed Use Commercial Heavy.  This would require that developments proposed for this area have more “commercial” use than residential. 

In the latest update, they are also adding the Planned Residential Rural (PRR) zoning district as complementary to Mixed Use Commercial Heavy.  This designates single-family detached housing requiring individual well and septic, to the zoning requirements making it harder for developers to get approval for private community wastewater treatment systems and mass drain fields.  While this updated Comprehensive Plan has not received all the required approvals, we have already leanings in this direction by the Planning Commission (PC).  Last year the PC voted unanimously to deny the zoning request for the Towns at Point Seanna development on the property located between Anna Point Marina and Pigeon Run.  This plan proposed utilizing a community wastewater treatment system and the PC indicated that there was not the proper mix of commercial/residential use proposed to be in line with the Comprehensive Plan.  Additional time has been granted to this request and it has not yet gone before the Board of Supervisors.

Zoning requests and Special Use Permits for upcoming developments on properties in Spotsylvania County will likely now be viewed by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors through the lens of the new Comprehensive Plan once it is approved.  We will watch to see how this affects developments being planned for the Hairfield property, on Rte. 208 across from High Point and Anna Point marinas, and the former Hayden property, where the SUP for the Four Seasons RV Park had been proposed and is currently withdrawn. 

On the Louisa side of the lake Cutalong is currently most active.  The Golf Course is in full swing with 18 holes and a member count that continues to grow.  Infrastructure is being built out to include the wastewater treatment facility and the community water system.  Look for a complete report on Cutalong in next month’s newsletter.  Other developments continuing through the process in Louisa are the Lake Anna Gateway Shopping area at the corner of Rte. 522 and Mansfield Road which is looking for tenants prior to beginning the build out, the New Bridge Fire and EMS Station where construction should begin soon to be completed in 2023 and the Rte. 522 and Rte. 208 Round About scheduled for some time in 2023. 

Over the next months we will provide additional details of these and other pending developments around the lake.  If you have questions or hear information that you would like to get to us, please drop the Land Use committee a note.  You can find us on the LACA Website.

john.wayne@lakeannavirginia.org

By Greg Baker – July 2022

Thank you again for participating in the biennial 2021 LACA Member Survey. The goal of the board is to listen to the feedback from the membership and use this information to form the positions that we take as an organization. The board takes this feedback seriously. Over the course of the year, we plan to publish several newsletter articles that share the results and most importantly, LACA’s response to the feedback. This is the second article related to the survey, you may read the first article focusing on Water Quality Issues by following this link.

The focus of this article is to address the feedback that we received on questions that were not specific to one of our five standing committees which include, Water Quality, Environmental Preservation, Emergency Services & Safety, Fireworks and Land Use. 

Question #9 asked if LACA should get involved in the regulation of short-term rentals (STR). LACA’s focus would be related only to issues outlined in our mission statement. This would include how overcapacity on septic systems impact the water quality on the lake and how over-capacity impacts the safety of the renters if they do not have working fire extinguishers or egress to bedrooms. The response was overwhelmingly (80.54%) in favor of LACA supporting regulation. We also received 58 comments on this questions that primarily focused on over-capacity.

In response, the board has taken a position to support smart regulation related to preventing STRs from renting over the capacity of their septic system. This means no more than 2 people per bedroom as it is stated in the septic permit. We have publicly supported the pending ordinance in Louisa County related to STRs. We have made a presentation to the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors on the issue. To be clear, LACA is NOT opposed to STRs at Lake Anna, we will continue to fight on your behalf for reasonable regulation to prevent STRs from renting over capacity and to require working fire extinguishers in STRs and all bedrooms to have proper egress.

Question #10 asked if our members currently rent their lake homes as STRs. Less than 4% of our members currently rent their homes.

Question #18 focused on our dues which have been $15 per year since the founding of the organization 30 years ago. This is the second time that we polled the membership regarding increasing dues. On both occasions, the membership responded that they would support an increase in dues. Just under 95% of the members supported an increase of at least $5 and well over 50% supported an increase of $10.

LACA has made significant investments in our water quality testing capabilities with the advent of Harmful Algae Blooms on Lake Anna and the corresponding Recreational Advisories (no-swim warnings) from Virginia Department of Health. In the past, LACA primarily financed our water quality testing program with grants from DEQ, Louisa and Spotsylvania Counties. For the past several years, given the urgency of the HAB problem, we have spent far more than the grants that we receive.

This is not financially sustainable for LACA to continue. To overcome this deficit, we have asked for increases in our grants from both Louisa and Spotsylvania County. We are grateful to announce that both Louisa and Spotsylvania County approved these requests. We requested funding from Orange County as well, but to date, have never received any funding from Orange County. We have moved to an electronic version of newsletter. This has been well received and has removed one of the largest line items in our budget which was the mailing and printing of our newsletter.

Even with the increased grants and the reduction in costs within LACA, we continue to run a deficit in our water quality programs. Primarily for this reason, the board voted unanimously to implement an increase in our dues to $25 per year effective January 1^st, 2022. There continues to be significant discounts if you extend your membership for over a one-year period. The board notified the membership in the fall of 2021 and gave our members the opportunity to extend their memberships prior to the scheduled increase.

Question #23 asked about a new mandate for LACA. This would create a “President’s Council” made up of HOA/POA Presidents or their appointed representative. The goal of the council would be to provide a forum at Lake Anna to share best practices and ideas with the communities surrounding the lake. The membership overwhelmingly (86.81%) supported this concept.

Based on this feedback, the board has been working very hard to come up with what this might look like. At the most recent board meeting in July, the board unanimously voted to establish the council. Please be on the lookout for more information related to the council over the coming months. We will need your help. With close to 200 HOA/POAs on Lake Anna, it is a challenge to know who the president is for each organization. We will be reaching out for your help in identifying who should be invited to join the council.

Questions #25 through #29 related to our annual meeting and its content. We have had terrific feedback on the annual meeting, and we hope that you will attend the 2022 LACA Annual Meeting on July 30^th. To attend, you may preregister by following this link.

Because of Covid, our 2020 Annual Meeting was conducted later than usual and virtually via Zoom. It was well attended. In 2021, we were able to do a hybrid approach offering both the opportunity to attend via Zoom or in-person. We have had terrific feedback on this approach and we hope to offer both in-person attendance as well as broadcasting the meeting via Zoom going forward.

LACA scored well on the amount and quality of the content that we present at the meetings with 91% of our respondents suggesting we hit “just the right amount of information.” Having a guest speaker is strongly supported by our membership. The most requested quest speaker by a small margin was to have a member of Louisa and/or Spotsylvania County government speak to the long-term master plan for Lake Anna. Coming in tied for the second most requested speaker would be either a Dominion representative to speak about the nuclear power plant and its operation or a member of local government to speak about the long-term plan for high-speed internet at Lake Anna.

This year, given the 50^th anniversary of Lake Anna, we are excited to have Katelyn Coughlan, Execute Director of the Louisa County Historical Society speak about the history of Lake Anna.

Finally, we received 88 comments with ideas to address at the annual meetings. These comments ranged from controlling sound levels on boats, to HAB remediation plans, to more police patrolling the lake, to bulkhead issues, to high-speed internet and many, many more.  We encourage all our members to participate in the annual meeting. At the end of the meeting, we will have an open forum where we hope to answer as many of these questions as possible and to understand the concerns of our members!

greg.baker@lakeannavirginia.org

By Sue Biondi – July 2022

This past fall and winter, I wrote articles related to those seasons.  I hope you found them helpful.  To continue my health series, there are a variety of health risks that come with the warmer weather.  It’s a time that we all wait for, a time to get out of the house and enjoy the higher temperatures, sunshine and longer days.  Those longer days increase the possibility of insect and animal bites and physical injuries associated with increased activity, especially outdoor sports.  So, let’s run through a few warm weather consequences.

Insect Bites and Stings - Most insect bites and stings cause a mild reaction, such as redness, itching or minor swelling.  There may be an instant burning pain or redness at the site.  A welt at the site may be present, or a small white spot at the sting area, where you may be able to see the stinger.  A moderate reaction may be swelling around the area that increases through the day and may last several days.  A severe reaction, or anaphylaxis, may cause shock, respiratory and cardiac arrest within minutes.  Symptoms may include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting or loss of consciousness. 

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and 911 should be called.  People known to have an anaphylaxis reaction should always carry epinephrine.  For treatment of a mild reaction, cold compresses or topical cortisone cream should reduce pain.  If a stinger is visible, remove by pushing it aside with a scraping motion.  Do not grab with fingers or tweezers or more toxin may be released.  Administer an antihistamine as prescribed, if not allergic to this medicine.  A person may consider West Nile virus if generalized symptoms continue.

Animal Bites - During warmer months, the possibility of non-domestic or domestic bites increases.  Stray and wild animals, including bats, raccoons and skunks, bite thousands of people every year. 

Animal bites have a greater probability of becoming infected, especially for people with diabetes, peripheral artery disease or weakened immune systems.  If bitten by a non-domestic animal, call 911 and move to a safe area.  Authorities will attempt to capture and quarantine and test for rabies.  A health care provider should be seen within 24 hours to assess for infection.  Other diseases transmitted may be viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic. If you come in contact with any of the above, immediately wash the skin with soap and warm water.  Apply cold compresses or soak the area in cold water.  Over-the-counter oral antihistamines are helpful.  For more severe rashes, oral, cream, ointment or gel forms of corticosteroids may be used.  Wear long sleeved shirts, long pants and enclosed footwear. 

Other warm weather issues to consider - Lyme disease is a bacterial disease caused by a bite from an infected tick, which may affect joints, the heart, and the nervous system.  Treatment is with antibiotics.  After outdoor activities, persons should examine all areas of the skin, especially the groin, axilla and scalp.  Mostly, a tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or longer before transmitting Lyme disease bacteria. 

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac - All poisonous plants are found throughout yards, gardens and wooded areas.  Identification of these plants is the best way to avoid becoming victim to their allergic reactions.  There are many samples of types of leaves online.  Becoming familiar with the different varieties may help you avoid coming in contact.  

These are just a few of the problems associated with the warm weather season.  After being restricted to mostly being indoors for the past two or more years, everyone is getting out into the fresh air and resuming those wonderful, fun activities that may find us in one of the situations listed in this article. 

My next article will contain information about how to respond to snake bites, concussions, drowning, lacerations and puncture wounds, sprains and strains, sunburn and West Nile virus.  Most of these topics become more prevalent as the temperatures increase and we are swimming and spending longer hours outdoors.  If you have any questions related to anything mentioned in this article, be sure to email me at sue.biondi@lakeannavirginia.org and I will be glad to answer any questions or concerns.  See you next month.

sue.biondi@lakeannavirginia.org

By Harry Looney – June 2022

Several of our members asked question during the LACA 2021 Survey about how they can get their well water tested.  One of the best resources available to Virginians is the Virginia Household Water Quality Program managed by the Virginia Cooperative Extension.  You can go to the web page for this program by typing https://www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu/vahwqp.php into your favorite internet browser or by just clicking on the image for the program in this newsletter.

Some of the more useful resources on the program’s web page include a brochure covering ten tips for managing your private well water supply and details on Well Water Testing and Drinking Water Clinics held by the Virginia Cooperative Extension.  The clinics cover how to collect a good water sample, how the analysis is performed and how the results are interpreted.  The 2022 schedule for the clinics has not yet been posted on their website but it is expected soon. 

Cost for the lab analysis is $60 according to their website.  There are a huge number of commercial labs where you can get your water tested anytime you want to check it.  Costs vary widely based on the number of parameters tested but some commercial labs charge up to $300 for a single test.  A listing of commercial labs is available on the Virginia Cooperative Extension website or click here to go to the document.

Contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office to find out when the next Drinking Water Clinic is going to be held in your area.  You can contact the local Virginia Cooperative Extension office at:

•  Louisa: 200 E. Main Street, Louisa, VA 23093, (540) 967-3422 

            Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Monday – Friday)

•  Spotsylvania:  8800 Courthouse Road, The Marshall Center, Room   202, Spotsylvania, VA 22553 (540) 507-7570.  The Marshall Center is   currently locked to the public.  Please call to make an appointment   to meet with an agent.

           Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Monday – Friday)

• Orange: 146 North Madison Road, Suite 102, Orange, VA 22960 (540) 672-1361

           Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Monday – Friday)

Interested LACA members are welcome to volunteer in support of LACA’s Water Quality Monitoring Program.  Contact the Water Quality Project Officer at this link if you are interested in learning more or volunteering.

harry.looney@lakeannavirginia.org

By Jean McCormick – June 2022

Now is a good time to look at the fire extinguisher in your boat.  Beginning April 20, 2022, new U S Coast Guard regulations take effect, on Federal waters, that change extinguisher expiration dates and the minimum classification of fire extinguishers carried aboard newer boats. This is a Change in Federal law and will not affect boaters on Lake Anna because Lake Anna is “sole state waters” and does not fall under Federal regulations .  But, if you take your boat on Federal waters, (the Potomac or Rappahannock Rivers, Chesapeake Bay…) this law will be in effect, and you will be expected to have updated your fire extinguishers.

The new U S Coast Guard regulation puts a 12-year expiration on all disposable (non-rechargeable) fire extinguishers. The manufacturers’ date may be two or four digits (ex. 16 or 2016) stamped on the bottom of the bottle or near the UL label.

The other big change:  boats that are model year 2018 or newer must carry a newer “5-B, 10B and 20-B” classified extinguisher rather than those with older “B-I” and “B-II” labels which are being phased out. The number in the new labels refer to the size (in square feet) of a potential fire the device is suitable to extinguish.  For boats less than 26 feet and 2018 model year and newer, a fire extinguisher must be an unexpired “5-B”, or “10-b” or “20-B”. For 2018 models and newer recreational boats 26-65 feet, requirements vary. (Check the table below.)

If your boat is a 2017 model or older, you may carry the older “B-I” or “B-II” disposable extinguishers until their 12-year expiration date.  Then they must be replaced with the newer class extinguishers: either a 5-B-C or a 10-B-C or 20-B-C.  Local landfills will accept expired fire extinguishers.

The 12-year expiration date puts the U S Coast Guard regulations in line with the National Fire Protection Association’s recommendation.

You can assume that the U S Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadron’s VESSEL SAFETY CHECK program will include this new regulation as part of their free, no-penalty, vessel exams.

jean.mccormick@lakeannavirginia.org

 

By Irene Luck – June 2022

Lake Anna is marking a milestone this year with its 50^th anniversary and part of the year-long celebration is the annual LACA fireworks show which is scheduled for Saturday, July 2.

This year’s event promises to be the best one yet and also marks the 25th time LACA has coordinated the shoot.

In September 1997 a group of volunteers arranged for the first official fireworks show on Lake Anna to mark the 25^th anniversary of the lake’s formation.  The first shoot was held at Lake Anna State Park with funds raised from the community.  Following a successful shoot that was enjoyed by thousands of spectators, mostly from the lake, LACA was approached about continuing the tradition as a celebration of America’s independence.  Excess funds were transferred to LACA and a fundraising effort began for the 1998 event.

The late Richard Cooley, a resident of Lake Anna, was a pyrotechnic specialist with Zambelli International.  He had assisted with the September shoot and offered his services at no charge to LACA provided the display was not held on July 4^th, an extremely busy day for him and his counterparts.

For several years afterwards, until health issues forced him to step aside, Cooley helped design and arrange the fireworks show working with volunteers to set up and ignite the pyrotechnics.  Initially the fireworks were shot from the dam at the far eastern end of the lake providing a spectacular view for many who watched on land as well as on boats.  However, after the attacks of September 2001 Dominion would no longer permit the shoot from the dam due to safety concerns and it was moved to its current location at Dike 2, an earthen dam with no public access just uplake from the original site.

But, the shoot isn’t just a LACA event.  It requires assistance from Louisa County’s sheriff’s office and its emergency services agencies.  Volunteer firefighters and medical personnel are on standby during the shoot in case of an emergency.  Louisa and Spotsylvania sheriffs’ offices have marine units to help patrol the safety zone area around the dike along with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Lake Anna Flotilla 87.

Due in part to the longtime association with Zambelli through Cooley and others who enjoyed working at Lake Anna, the association has been fortunate to have a top-notch show at a discounted cost.  Many have said that the show at Lake Anna equals those at larger venues such as the nation’s Capital and larger cities.

This year, the fundraising goal is $35,000 and letters soliciting donations will be in the mail soon.  You can also donate at LACA’s website by following the link here.   All donations will be listed on our website which can be viewed here.

irene.luck@lakeannavirginia.org